This Helmet Ruined My Ski Holiday

This helmet ruined my ski holiday, not because it failed,

but because it turned me into a droid.

The intimidating headgear I was wearing was the Ruroc RG2.

According to Ruroc, it's the world's

only full-face snow sports helmet.

Now, on paper, it should be a winner,

despite a starting price of 379 bucks.

It's actually ISPO award-winning

with a built-in Twiceme NFC chip for first responders,

and is lined with Rheon, a breathable,

energy-absorbing polymer conceived

from a NASA space shuttle project.

This is flexible in its natural state,

but stiffens instantly on impact, protecting your noggin.

The big tweak from the older RG1, though? Magnets.

Gone are the plastic clips, in comes magnetic mask system,

which lets users easily remove the chin

while wearing gloves.

Trouble is, taking the chin piece off was never the problem.

Putting the darn thing on

when you couldn't see was the issue.

Anyone stuck on a freezing ski lift would appreciate

the RG2 covering your face from the nose down.

But skiing is a wonderfully chaotic social activity.

You stop to chat, you decide on plans,

and you laugh when somebody wipes out on a mogul.

Those moments are key to enjoying time on the piste,

but they were completely stocked when I wore the Ruroc.

No one could see my face at all.

No lips meant no smiles, no laughs or smirks.

I turned into a storm trooper,

and socially I may as well have been one

of Elon Musk's Optimus bartenders.

Mid-slope, everyone was chatting away, just not to me.

The solution though, was simple.

I detached the magnetic chin piece

and immediately I was one of them again.

Now, you might be thinking,

what if I don't want anyone talking to me

on the white stuff?

Even then, the RG2 is hard to recommend.

The ventilation feels more like an open window,

and the rubber on the magnetic peak began

to disintegrate just after a couple of days.

And finally, if you want to understand

the true horror of a full-face helmet,

try sneezing in one halfway down a black run.

I did, and I'll let you imagine the rest.